The Central Montcalm Hornets entered their third contest of 2021 with a 2-0 record, and they squared off against a winless bunch in the Fremont Packers. Both teams will remain with zeroes in their records, as Central Montcalm emerged victorious 28-14 on their home turf.
As the game got underway, the Hornets’ defense got the scoring started. Fremont’s Kyler DeKuiper aired it out, but Fisher Hill stepped in front of the receiver and intercepted the football. Hill made his way through the oncoming Packers’ tacklers, and he went 73 yards for the score. It gave Central Montcalm a 7-0 lead, and neither team would score the remainder of the opening frame.
In the second quarter, the Fisher Hill show continued. He caught a pass from Kaleb Crooks and ran 26 yards for another Hornets’ touchdown. The dynamic duo hooked up again later in the quarter, with Crooks’ pass going for a 36 yard score, lifting Central Montcalm to a 21-0 advantage at halftime.
Coming out of the locker room, Fremont made some adjustments. The Packers scored on their opening drive, as Justin Dirheimer broke off a 3-yard run. With thirteen seconds to go in the third, Fremont trimmed the lead even further. DeKuiper found an open Wei Chen, and 62 yards later, it was a 21-14 ball game.
On the final play of the third quarter, Mitch Herald slipped through the Fremont defense and raced 39 yards to the end zone. This pushed the Hornets back ahead by fourteen points. A scoreless fourth quarter would leave the game at this final count.
The offensive battle was nearly equal in this game, with Central Montcalm holding a narrow 286-274 advantage. The Packers won the passing yards battle, as Kyler DeKuiper was 14/25 for 196 yards. The Hornets made their mark rushing the football, as Mitch Herald’s 103 rushing yards headlined their attack. Kaleb Crooks was efficient passing, completing 7/11 attempts for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Fisher Hill had six catches for 136 yards.
Turnovers were a key issue for Fremont, as they threw three interceptions, including the one returned by Fisher Hill for a touchdown. The Hornets are now 3-0 on the season and 2-0 in the CSAA-Gold. As co-leaders in the conference, they will take on Big Rapids next week. Fremont is now 0-3 on the year and 0-2 in league play. The Packers will face Newaygo in next week’s game.
